Golden Boy Signs East L.A.’s Frankie Gomez

East L.A. keeps pumping out boxers like tamaleros pump out tamales on Cesar Chavez Boulevard.

It’s a darn breeding ground.

Frankie Gomez was introduced as the newest find in the east side of Los Angeles on Monday with Oscar De La Hoya leading the band at El Mercado on First Street and Lorena Avenue. Golden Boy Promotions spent a lot of money to sign the 18-year-old boxer.

Gomez recently captured the silver medal at the AIBA World Championships. He got jacked by the scoring system but that’s not news. Americans continue to suffer at the fate of the European dominated judges and their reluctant index fingers.

No matter, Gomez is now a professional.

Golden Boy allegedly spent more than $350,000 to sign the kid with the hard charging pressure style and quick hands and feet.

How good is he?

He beat Jose Benavidez four times as an amateur and that kid with Top Rank is a gem too.

“He was born to fight,” said De La Hoya before a large audience of several hundred inside a restaurant in East L.A with mariachis blaring in the shadows. “He showed me a lot. He’s a complete fighter.”

With numerous televisions outlets and other media organizations present the presentation of a wunderkind can be daunting. Gomez, who resembles Victor Ortiz, seemed immune to the attention.

“I’m just thankful,” said Gomez who attends Lincoln High School. “It’s a dream come true.”

Gomez hopes to follow in the footsteps of De La Hoya who has the same birthday Feb. 4.

“The year I was fighting for the gold medal in Barcelona he was born,” said De La Hoya.

Other recent East L.A. fighters now making waves include Sergio Mora, Francisco “Panchito” Bojado, and former Olympians Shawn Estrada and Javier Molina. In the recent past there have been De La Hoya, Joey Olivo, Paul Gonzalez and others.

“The future is looking brighter,” said Eric Gomez a matchmaker for Golden Boy.

What are they putting in those tamales?

Another announcement made was the return of Solo Boxeo the very popular boxing program televised by Telefutura. The series will begin on April 30 and features the same team of Bernardo Osuna and Ricardo Celis.

A free boxing card is offered on March 17 St. Patrick’s Day at L.A. Live area at 6 p.m. on Wednesday.